


The Thief and the Barbarian

by Datrandomcat



Category: South Park
Genre: Animal Death, Barbarian Tweek Tweak, Canon Gay Character, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Minor Violence, Rivalry, Romance, South Park: The Stick of Truth, Thief Craig Tucker, cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-05-12 05:37:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19222696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Datrandomcat/pseuds/Datrandomcat
Summary: Craig has always been a master thief who's never been caught. But, now that he's stolen from the barbarians, has be met his match? Will the thief be able to get away with his actions, and maybe find something unexpected along the way?





	1. The Thief

"Who keeps stealing my stuff?!" The Grand Wizard King slammed his fist on the table that held a map of Kupa Keep. He pointed to each area in succession. "First, my armory gets raided, then my food stock, and now the bastard is stealing my gold?! The fuck is this?!"

"Cartman, calm down. It's not that big a deal. You have plenty of gold." The High Jew Elf King responded calmly.

"You shut your goddamn Jew mouth, Kyle! If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were the one doing it! You'd just love to get your greedy Jew hands on it, wouldn't you?!"

"Why would I need your stupid gold when I have my own kingdom, fatass?!" Before Cartman could shoot back a biting response, Butters rushed in, panting.

"My king, the thief has returned and stole one of the horses!" He gasped between breaths. Cartman's eyes went ablaze.

"Are you fucking serious right now?!" He yelled. "Is he still here?! I'll fucking kill him!"

"I don't know, I immediately came to get you!" Butters reasoned nervously.

"Fucking useless!" Cartman barked as he stormed out of the castle. Kyle began walking out as well, but stopped to put a hand on Butters' shoulder. "Man the gates, paladin. If he's still here, maybe we can keep him from escaping."

"Y-yes, sir!" Butters ran out, followed by Kyle. The elf king looked around until he spotted Cartman throwing a tantrum near the stables.

"Not only did he take a horse, he took my favorite one! The fuck?!" He screamed. Kyle rolled his eyes and was about to go out to him when he suddenly fell backwards after nearly being run down by a horse that flew past. He watched as it ran buy, seeing someone on its back. The person was wearing a cloak and a hat, so he couldn't see who it was, but whoever it was, he should've known better than to mess with the Grand Wizard Fatfuck. While Cartman himself is relatively harmless, he does have a lot of dominion over many, and a sort of fear-respect from many others. Kyle sighed and stood, brushing himself off. Cartman kept running, trying to cut off the horse, but he was too slow. The elf king didn't bother. There was no catching this guy on horseback. And why should he care anyway? This wasn't his kingdom.

He watched from afar as Butters began closing the gates. Cartman glared at him and, instead of helping like a sensible person, he just screamed at him to do it faster. Poor Butters. Kyle crossed his arms and leaned against the castle wall as he watched the futile display. As they were lowering the steel gate, the guy on horseback stopped fooling around and made a beeline for it.

"No, no, no!" Cartman shouted. "You're not getting out of here! I'll have your head!" He waved his wooden staff in the air before pointing it at the boy, trying not to hit his prize horse. A blue, glowing beam shot out, but since his target was moving so fast, he couldn't quite land it. Beam after beam, he missed until the boy pressed himself against the horses back and flew through the gate with a hair's distance between the sharp spokes of the gate and his back. "FUCK!" Cartman screamed as he grabbed the gate and began shaking it violently. Kyle shook his head and tsked at the sight. The boy on horseback looked back to see the Grand Wizard King screaming at and beating up on his poor paladin.

"Hmph…" He responded with as he looked forward and disappeared into the distance.


	2. The Barbarian

A young boy opened his eyes hesitantly as light filtered through the leaves above him. He'd fallen asleep against a tree that sat next to a burbling brook after his night of mischief. He slowly sat up with a groan and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as a yawn escaped him. He jumped when he heard a snort next to him, but let out an exhale of relief when he remembered the horse he stole the night before. He smiled and reached a hand up to pet the horse's snout.

"Thanks for getting me out of there, girl. That was a close one, huh?" The horse gave a gentle whinny before leaning down and continuing to graze. The boy stood up and stretched before reaching into his satchel and taking out some biscuits he'd stolen from the nearby elf kingdom. They were his favorite. As he enjoyed his breakfast, he noticed a tag on the horse's ear. He grabbed it and examined it. It had a word engraved in it.

**[FLUFFY]**

The boy scoffed. Who names their pet "Fluffy"?  _Especially_ a horse? He shook his head before grabbing his knife from his belt.

"Here, girl, let me get that for you." He said as he cut the tag off. The horse seemed to either not notice or not care as she continued grazing. The young thief patted the horse's neck before walking over to the brook and leaning down. He scooped some water into his canteen for later. "Alright…time to get going."

He walked back up to his horse before hopping up onto her back with the help of a tree stump. He snapped her reigns and off they went. He had no particular destination in mind. He mainly liked to explore and find new kingdoms and territories that had unique goods for him to swipe. He didn't do it because he was a bad person. He predominantly did it out of necessity, stealing food, clothes, and the like. But he'd be lying to himself if he said he didn't find it fun.

~o~O~o~

"Die, mongrel!" The barbarian shouted as he hucked a spear at the boy while he fled on his horse. The boy grinned as he looked behind him, carrying a sack filled with food and several knickknacks that caught his eye while sneaking around the barbarian encampment. Unfortunately, he'd eventually been spotted, but in all the years he'd been stealing, no one had ever caught him, and they certainly weren't going to now. The horse really came in handy in that endeavor.

"Too easy…" The boy chuckled as he escaped out of the dangerous territory, a cocky grin on his face. Little did he know of a pair of eyes that glared at him from the trees.

After a while and a few miles later, the boy slowed his horse to a stop by a stream so it could take a drink after such a run. He patted the horse's back as he remained seated on it.

"Another good haul." He smirked proudly as he rifled through his sack of newly stolen goods. "I thought barbarians were known for…endurance and never giving up, or whatever. Guess not." He took out a brown scarf made from who-knows-what. Whatever it was, it went well with his outfit. And not only would it keep him warm, but it also covered up to his mouth, making his face less recognizable. He wrapped it around his neck before closing the sack and hanging it back on his belt. "Oh, well. I was hoping for a challenge, but maybe the next place we go to will be better." He was about to flick the reigns to get the horse moving again when he suddenly heard something whiz through the air before feeling a sharp pain sear through his arm. "AGH!" He yelled as he grabbed his arm, falling off of his horse and hitting the ground hard. "Fuck!" He groaned as he looked and saw an arrow sticking out of his upper arm. He grabbed it and tried pulling on it, but that just made it hurt more, and he could feel the flesh start to tear. "God…g-goddamn it…" He muttered as he kept pulling.

He immediately stopped when he noticed an arrow pointed directly at his forehead. He looked up and saw a young boy, about his age, standing over him with his arm pulling the arrow back in his bow, ready to shoot. The young boy wore a scowl, and had messy blonde hair, traditional barbarian body paint, and probably the prettiest blue eyes he'd ever seen.

"Who…who are you…?" He asked the barbarian.

"I should be asking you that,  _thief_." He growled, his eyes, seemingly unblinking, remained trained on the young thief as he kept his arrow pointed at him. The boy held up his hands.

"F-feldspar…" He replied slowly. The barbarian pulled his arrow back further. His eyes seemed to bore into his own.

"That's not your real name…Who are you,  _really_?" He pressed. How the fuck did he know  _that_? The boy held up his hands further.

"Okay, okay. My name is Craig. There, happy?" The barbarian was silent. "And…you are?"

"You're not really in the position to be asking  _me_ questions." He said as he lowered his arrow ever so slightly.

"Well, that's not really fair."

"Life's not fair. You were happy enough to show us that when you took our stuff!"

"Look! Can we just…put the arrow down and talk…civilly? Please?"

"Not until you hand back what belongs to my people."

"Dude, I took, like, four things!"

"Four things too many…" The barbarian snarled, pulling the arrow back once more. Craig panicked slightly and wondered how he could get himself out of this. He was in a very compromising position.

"Okay, okay! Look, see? I'm getting the sack…Just…don't shoot, okay? Let's just…" He reached down towards his belt and grabbed what he was looking for. "…remain…" He pulled it out. "…calm…" Suddenly, knife in hand, he made a wide swipe at the barbarian, causing the boy to jump back in surprise. Before the barbarian could pull back his arrow again, Craig swept his leg underneath him, causing him to fall hard on his back.

"Hey! Stop!" The barbarian yelled angrily. Craig yanked out the arrow, causing him to hiss in pain as blood seeped from the now openly flowing wound. He clumsily hopped back onto the horse and snapped the reigns, and the horse began galloping away from the scene. He winced as he saw arrows flying past him way too close for comfort. He thought he was in the clear when he suddenly felt one lodge right into his side.

"Ack, fuck!" He yelled, immediately pulling it out as the horse kept running. His adrenaline kept him going, but he could tell he was starting to lose a decent amount of blood. He held the wound on his arm, which was now matted with blood. Maybe he could stop the bleeding. That was his last coherent thought as his vision started growing fuzzy. He urged the horse on, still, hoping to put enough distance between him and the barbarian. But, as they went, his grip on the reigns loosened, and his touch with what was around him did as well. He couldn't focus on anything. He tried to keep his eyes open, but couldn't, eventually falling off the side of the horse and grunting as he hit the ground. He closed his eyes and gripped his arm. What the fuck was he supposed to do now?


	3. An Unexpected Turn of Events

As Craig opened his eyes slowly, he put a hand to his head. It was pounding. He groaned as he tried to sit up, but hissed in pain when his side flared, causing him to fall back.

"Agh, fuck…" He groaned.

"Careful. You'll hurt yourself if you move too much." Craig froze as he heard another voice. He quickly sat up, trying not to squeal as his side ignited in pain, and saw the young barbarian sitting near him, a fire in front of them as the boy sharpened a long stick with a knife. The blonde boy looked at Craig in annoyance. "What did I just say?" He growled as he pressed the blunt end of the stick into Craig's chest, making him lay back down again. "You'll ruin the bandages." Craig's mind reeled. Bandages? He brought a hand up to his arm and noticed cloth wrapped tightly around it. The same was done around his torso. "If you're done feeling yourself up, I have dinner prepared." Craig frowned at him as the barbarian stood and walked over. "Here, this will make eating easier." He said and, before Craig knew it, his head and back were being lifted slightly and a rock was placed behind him. Craig could hardly process what was happening around him.

"Uh, what's going on? Why am I not dead? And why are you not currently trying to kill me?" He asked, clearly confused. He'd get up and make a run for it, but his torso wound kept him down. At least for the moment. He knew he wouldn't get far. As far as his questioned went, the barbarian didn't answer. He simply pushed a piece of bark with a cooked fish on it towards the thief.

"Eat." He said simply. Craig eyed it suspiciously.

"It's not… _poisoned_ , is it?"

"Why would I tell you if it was?"

"…Fair point…" The thief grabbed the fish and gave it a good whiff. Nothing off about it so far. He took a small bite. It…was  _delicious_! His eyes widened as he took several more big bites. Whatever the barbarian did to it, he didn't care. It tasted  _amazing_. Cooked just right with some kind of seasoning he couldn't identify. He then took notice of the barbarian giving him a knowing smile, causing him to swallow the food a bit slower and look away with an embarrassed blush. After a few more bites, Craig landed on the conclusion that the fish wasn't sabotaged, and decided to speak again. "So, uh…why  _are_  you helping me? After what happened, I figured I'd be dead by now."

"Well, you're not exactly in possession of the stolen goods anymore." He said as he held up the sack.

"My bag!"

"Mine now."

"That's not fair!" Craig then went silent as the barbarian cocked an eyebrow at the hypocrisy. Craig just side and relaxed against the rock. "You never  _did_  tell me your name..." He suddenly commented.

"Do I need to?" He asked as he continued sharpening the stick.

"Well, I just figured it's common decency."

"As if you know a whole lot about  _common decency._ " The boy sneered. After some silence, the boy sighed and stopped sharpening. "It's…Tweek." He said slowly before resuming his activity. Craig blinked in surprise and looked at him.

"Tweek, huh? That's…an  _interesting_  name."

"Yeah, well yours isn't exactly that great either." Craig simply scoffed and looked away. A few minutes of awkward silence passed before a thought crossed Craig's mind.

"Oh, by the way, how did you know I was lying about my name?"

"It was in your eyes. I can tell when someone's lying. Also, the name Feldspar sounds even  _more_  stupid than Craig. Not very believable."

" _Hey_!" Craig whined. "It's my cool thief alias!" He then waved his hand in front of himself flamboyantly. "I'm  _Feldspar_ , feared by all and scared of nothing! The greatest thief the land of Zaron has ever  _known_!"

"…Who managed to be shot down by a kid." Tweek smirked. Craig frowned and gave him an unamused look.

"You're really killing my mojo here, man." Tweek rolled his eyes in response.

"Whatever." He replied. Craig's went silent as his eyes lingered on Tweek. This...barbarian boy was strange. Despite his snippy attitude, he was being surprisingly hospitable. Why was he trying to help him? Why did he bandage him up? Feed him? Converse with him? Why was he doing all this after just trying to kill him? "Why are you staring at me?" Tweek suddenly asked, not looking up from his work. From how much he was sharpening that stick, it would cease to exist within the hour. Craig jumped from the question and quickly cleared his throat before responding.

"I, uh…I was just wondering…why you're going through all this trouble for me. I'm sure killing me would be easier." He explained. Tweek smirked at him.

"Oh, it certainly  _would_  be, but I'd rather leave that honor to my people." He responded. Craig blinked in surprise.

"H-huh?" Tweek chuckled at his cluelessness.

"What, you didn't think stealing from barbarians would go without consequence, did you?" He asked, smirking wider.

"But…but all this…" Craig motioned to all the bandages and the half-eaten fish. Tweek rolled his eyes.

"If you hadn't noticed, you're in no condition to travel, and it's several miles back to the barbarian encampment. And because your horse abandoned you when you fell off, we're  _walking_. So, I need you nice and healthy if you're going to make it back alive." Craig didn't know what to say. He was speechless. Here he thought the barbarian was being nice to him, but really, he was keeping him alive so his people could kill him. His anger overtook him suddenly, and he tried to reach for his knife, only to realize it was missing.

"M-my kni-" Craig went silent as he realized the knife Tweek had been using to sharpen the stick all along had been his. Tweek gave Craig an annoyed look before standing up and walking over, standing over him menacingly as he pointing the knife at his chest.

"And now you know why you never steal from a barbarian." Craig held up his hands in a similar fashion to their first encounter.

"Dude,  _again_ , I only took a few things…You are  _seriously_  getting worked up over  _nothing_! Plus, you have the stuff back now, why not just take it and be on your way? No one has to die."

"That's where you're wrong, Craig. It's not about the  _stuff_. It's about the  _principle_. If we let one thief go so he can rattle on about how he managed to steal from the barbarians, what's to stop  _another_  thief from trying? Or an opposing faction, like ones led by the fat magic bender? It makes us look  _weak_. We need to make an example of you to show others what happens when you mess with the barbarians." He pulled the knife away and turned around. "So, no, I can't let you go. Not only will you be made an example of, but I will get the highest of praise, and maybe everyone will start taking me seriously. I'll finally earn some damn  _respect_  around he-" Tweek was interrupted as a rock suddenly collided with the back of his head. He fell forward, the thief standing over him, clutching his side and heaving in pain.

"Not today,  _fucker_ …"


	4. Savior

With Tweek out cold, Craig huffed in pain as he made his escape. He grabbed what he could carry and went off into the trees. At least with this cover, he’d be harder to find once the boy came to.

“Fuck…Fucking barbarian…” He grunted as his movements caused his wounds to open a bit and bleed a little. He pushed through as best he could. Clutching his side, he looked for any kind of cover he could take for the night. “This…ngh…would be so much easier with a horse…” He grunted to himself. Stupid horse. Stupid barbarians. Stupid Tweek! His eyebrows were furrowed in anger as he made his way through the trees, resting against one every so often to catch his breath and relieve his pain for a moment.

~o~O~o~

After about an hour of stumbling aimlessly, the sky grew darker. It was getting late, and soon, the woods would be an unsafe place. Craig was, for the first time in a long time, terrified. If infection or blood loss didn’t kill him, a creature of the night surely would. He prayed for a cave or some saving grace, but he was losing hope. After what seemed like forever, Craig sighed and sat down against a tree. He couldn’t walk anymore. The pain in his torso was beginning to be too much for him to handle. He needed to rest. Breathing raggedly, he reached into the pouch on his belt and grabbed some more biscuits. At least that dumb barbarian hadn’t confiscated these. He took a few bites and felt a slight calmness wash over him. At least he could enjoy something in this moment. After a while, he found himself nodding off. It didn’t take long after that for him to drift off into a restless sleep.

~o~O~o~

**_Crk!_ **

              Craig’s eyes snapped open as he heard a twig snap. In his lethargic haze, he instinctively, albeit clumsily, reached for his knife. His mind was foggy and his vision was swimming; probably from blood loss and exhaustion. He looked around wearily. It’s not like he’d be able to defend himself that well anyway. He could hardly lift himself away from the tree he was lying against. He held the knife out in front of him, his hands shaking slightly.

“Wh-who’s there…?” He asked aloud in a quivering yet authoritative tone. He stiffened when he heard a growl. After a moment, a head peaked though the undergrowth in front of him. Then the legs. Then the body. The creature stalked towards him slowly. It was a wolf. Craig gulped and pushed himself back as close as possible against the tree. “Fuck…” He whispered under his breath. The wolf growled as it looked between the boy and his outstretched knife. “G-get back!” Craig yelled as he swiped the knife at the air, hoping to spook it. This only made the wolf snarl and bare its long fangs. Then, suddenly, it was on him. It pinned him against the tree, bearing its weight down on its front paws pressed against his chest. “Ah!” Craig yelped as the wolf suddenly tried to snap at his face, but the boy grabbed its head and pushed it back.

He could feel the canine’s hot breath on his face as it kept snapping. He felt tears prick the corners of his eyes. This really was how he was going to die. The greatest thief Zaron has ever known…destined to become dog chow. He felt his strength start to give, and he was about to release the animal and let it have at him. He didn’t have the will to fight anymore. Not in his condition. He closed his eyes and accepted his fate. He just hoped the wolf would make it quick. But, as he relaxed his muscles, he heard a sharp yelp fill the air as the weight on top of him disappeared.

He opened his eyes, and saw none other than Tweek drop down from one of the branches above him, bow and arrows in hand. He saw the wolf stumble backwards with an arrow in its side. From behind him, Craig looked at the back of the boy’s head where he hit him with the rock. There was a small trickle of blood matted into his hair. Craig shifted anxiously where he sat as he watched Tweek about to pull back another arrow, but the wolf was on him in seconds, having found a new target.

“Ah!” Tweek grunted as he dropped his weapon from the impact and immediately tried to push the wolf away from him, but the canine learned from last time and grabbed the boy’s arm in its teeth before he could. Tweek cried out in pain as he began punching at the wolf’s face with his free hand. Anything he could do to make it let go. Nothing. In fact, it only seemed to make it angrier. Then, as if he just remembered he had it, Tweek reached a hand to his side and pulled out a small knife. He took it and, with a rage-filled yell, drove it straight up through the wolf’s skull. It dropped dead immediately.

Tweek huffed as he sat up, using his arms to prop himself. “Fuck!” He exclaimed as he kicked the wolf’s dead body away from him. After a few moments of catching his breath, the barbarian boy forced himself to stand with a groan, looking towards Craig, who was still too weak to move from his spot. The thief’s vision came in and out of focus. The last thing he saw before blacking out was Tweek kneeling down in front of him.

~o~O~o~

              Craig awoke with a start, tensing as he noticed that he wasn’t in the same place as before. He groggily sat up, wincing in pain. That’s when he realized, as he felt his wounds, that he had fresh, new bandages on them.

Taking in his surroundings, he saw that he was in a large cave. Rain was pouring just outside. There was a fire several feet away from him with a rabbit cooking on a spit above it. Then, his eyes landed on the barbarian himself, sitting by the fire with his back turned to him. That’s when all the previous events from earlier came rushing back to him. The boy had wrestled a wolf for him. Risked his life to save his. And what had Craig done to Tweek? Bashed his head with a rock…

And Craig felt…bad. A feeling he wasn’t well acquainted with.

Suddenly, Tweek cleared his throat, gaining Craig’s attention, before the barbarian boy patted the spot on the floor next to him. Craig blinked in surprise before slowly making his way over, wincing in pain as he did so. How had he known he was awake? As he settled himself down on the ground next to Tweek, he dared not make eye contact. He stared at the ground next to the fire, watching the shadows it played against the dark cave floor. However, after a long silence, Craig’s curiosity got the better of him, and he looked over at the other boy. Tweek was just…blankly staring into the fire, seemingly lost in thought. So, to break the silence and try to end the awkward tension he felt, he decided to speak first.

“Thank you…” He said softly. Tweek seemed to be taken aback by this. He blinked, breaking himself from his transfixed gaze, and looked at Craig in surprise.

“O-oh, uh…you’re welcome…” He said in an equally soft tone. Craig looked at the boy’s arm. It was also bandaged, but the bandages covering it were already saturated with blood. The boy winced at the sight. It looked very painful. He then remembered the previous injury he gave Tweek.

“And, um…sorry…for the…” Craig motioned to his head. Tweek sighed and nodded before staring back into the fire. In his attempt to break the awkwardness, Craig only seemed to increase it tenfold. He shifted uncomfortably. “I, uh…I wanted to ask…why you helped me back there. I was going to die…and you saved me. But, not only that, you sustained an injury for me. So…why? You could’ve died…” Tweek immediately snapped his gaze to Craig.

“Don’t read into it, thief. I’m only-”

“Don’t sell me that bullshit story. There’s no way you risked your life just so you could bring me back to your people for ‘honor.’” Tweek seemed a bit offended by this.

“Barbarians are a very proud people. Honor is _everything_. Which is why, when one steals from us, being a very dishonorable thing, the consequence is death.”

“This isn’t just about honor, is it…?”

“Excuse me?” Tweek asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Before I knocked you out back there…you said if you brought me back…you’d get respect and get taken seriously.” Tweek looked away sheepishly as Craig said this. “Are you…unappreciated by your people?” Tweek seemed to grow increasingly uncomfortable. He looked like he was about to say something, but decided to instead change the subject.

“…The rabbit looks ready…”


	5. Understanding

The next morning, Craig groggily opened his eyes. He sat up slowly, wincing from the pain in his side, but finding it to be much less intense than the previous day. Surely this meant his wounds wouldn't get infected. All thanks to...to...

He paused when he remembered the barbarian boy. Looking around, he spotted him sleeping not far from him. Of course, the first thought that crossed his mind would be how easy it would be to escape. Maybe even take the boy by surprise with his knife for good measure. But…after nursing him back to health and risking his life for his, despite declaring it be for an ulterior motive, Craig couldn't bring himself to hurt him. He was the cause of his wounds and pretty much all of this, but something was different last night. The look in Tweek's eyes made Craig think that the whole 'honor' thing is only half of the story.

Craig sighed and stood up shakily with great effort, slowly making his way over to the barely lit fire. As he sat down in front of it, he blew on it, hoping to make it bigger and reignite some of it. He grabbed a stick and poked at it, thinking about what he should do next. He thought about everything that had transpired so far. He thought about his past actions. He thought about Tweek. How he helped him. How strong he was for someone of his stature. How his blue eyes sparkled. How…

Craig shook his head. Where the fuck were these thoughts coming from? Landing on the conclusion of simple delirium, the boy saw that there was some leftover rabbit next to the fire. He decided to heat it up against the flames before taking a bite.

"You going to share that…?" A voice came from behind him. He turned his head to see Tweek sitting there, propped up by his arms. Craig stretched his arm out to Tweek, offering the other half of the leftovers. The barbarian boy gave him a small half-smile as he stood and walked over, taking it and sitting down next to the boy. As Tweek ate, Craig couldn't help but steal glances at him. For a barbarian, people known for being dirty and savage, this boy was rather cute. His mannerisms, his looks, his voice…It was hard to believe he was a barbarian at all. "You're staring." Tweek suddenly said, not looking up from his meal. Craig blinked and looked away quickly.

"S-Sorry, it's just…I've noticed you don't look much like a barbarian. You're…you know…kinda petite." Tweek seemed to tense at this, and he looked away from Craig, balling up his fists. Had he said something wrong?

"Glad to see you noticed…"

"I'm sorry…?" Craig pressed. Tweek bit his lip before sighing, staring at the ground. Finally, after a long silence, he spoke.

"You know…how I said capturing you and bringing you back would gain me some recognition…?"

"Uh…yeah?"

"Well, that's because, like you, many don't see me as a true barbarian…They say I'm too small…Too weak for my age." His mouth formed a hard line as he gritted his teeth. "But I can't…I can't help the way I was born. But they still make fun of me. Don't take me seriously. They say I'll never live up to expectation…Well…when  _I_  bring back someone  _they_  failed to capture, they're going to have to start taking me seriously. That's…That's why I went after you when no one else did. I was just…trying to prove myself." Tweek scoffed. "And look where that got me. Sitting in a cave with an injured arm feeling sorry for myself. I can't even capture a fucking thief. You keep…getting away. Escaping. Fighting back. Which begs the question…" He looked up at Craig. "Why are you still here? I was…asleep. You could have just…left…like you've been trying to do…It would have been easy…So, why stay now…?"

Craig sighed and looked down. Why had he stayed? Part of it was because he had suspected there was more to the barbarian's motives than what he let on. Seeing that he was just an underappreciated young boy who wanted to prove himself confirmed this. He figured that, knowing this now, he could perhaps appeal to the boy and settle this small rivalry they had. But was that the only reason?

"I don't know, I just…I figured you weren't as bad as you fronted. You act tough, but you're a lot more…sensitive than I first thought. And kind."

"Barbarians aren't supposed to be kind  _or_ sensitive…" Tweek grumbled.

"Yeah, but who said you have to act like the rest of them? You should just be you. And…I think you're pretty great." Craig admitted sheepishly. Tweek gave him a skeptical look.

"You don't even know me…"

"Maybe not, but I've seen you in action enough to know that you are one tough, badass fucker. I'd hate to cross paths with you on a battlefield." Craig said, offering the boy a smile. Tweek looked away quickly, a small blush painting his cheeks.

"You're so full of shit…"

"Dude…" Craig responded, turning towards the boy fully to accentuate how serious he was. "…you nursed me backed to health after I almost died multiple times. You fought off a wolf on your own. You managed to track me down over several miles. You were able to shoot me off my horse after I was already a good distance away going full speed. No, you're not the biggest brute out there, nor the strongest, but you're fast, you're agile, you're brave, and you're one tough fucker. Personally, if the barbarians can't see your obvious potential, then fuck them. And if you can't see your potential, then you need a serious wake up call." Tweek was taken aback by Craig's whole spiel. He looked back at Craig with wide eyes.

"Wh-why…are you saying all this…? All I've done is…hurt you…just so I can feel good about myself…"

"Because I know what you're going through."

"Y-you do?" Tweek asked in surprise. Craig nodded.

"Not long ago, I worked alongside Clyde, the Lord of Darkness. While I-"

"You worked with the Dark Lord?!" Tweek asked incredulously. Craig smiled and nodded.

"Not only did I work with him, he was my best friend. But I was constantly put down by others working with him, saying that I didn't deserve to be his number one because I wasn't even that good. I'd get bashed because Clyde picked favorites. It went on for so long that, eventually, I just had enough and went out on my own. I took Zaron by storm, trying to prove to everyone that I was good enough. Trying to prove…to myself…that I was good enough. Everywhere I went, I'd steal and raise havoc. This went on for a while. Then, I heard others start to refer to me as 'the greatest thief in Zaron,' and I knew I had reached my goal. I showed everyone that I was capable all along. That I had it in me. So, I know how it feels to be put down because you appear to be less than what's expected. But I know you have it in you, too. Just because you haven't proven to everyone that you're amazing doesn't mean you're incapable of doing amazing things. Let them think what they think. You don't have to prove your worth to anyone but yourself." Tweek stared at Craig wide-eyed. He was sure his heart skipped several beats at the boy talked. His cheeks grew a faint shade of pink.

"I-I, uh…wow…I…I never thought about it…like that…" Tweek pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He stared at the ground, not quite sure what to think anymore. Finally, a faint smile appeared on his face as he looked over at Craig. "You know…you're not so bad…Feldspar."


	6. Revelations

"So…what do we do now?"

The two were sitting in the cave as it poured outside. Tweek didn't know how to answer Craig's question. His original plan was to have Craig killed so that he could be admired by his people for once, but now that he'd gotten to know the boy a bit better after talking awhile, he was having second thoughts.

"I…I don't know…I don't think…I want you dead anymore…But how can I return to my people empty-handed…? They'll think I'm even more of a failure than they already do…" He sighed, covering his face with his hands. Craig looked to the side in thought.

"You know…you don't… _have_  to go back." Craig offered. Tweek turned to him in confusion.

"Huh?"

"Why would you want to go back to people who constantly put you down? That's why I struck out on my own. So I could be my own person without judgement, ridicule, or expectation. I can be me. Why don't you be you?" Craig asked. Tweek fiddled with his hands as he looked down with a sigh.

"I-I…I don't know…I've never been on my own before. I've always had somewhere to call home. Someone to come home to. Being all by myself out here…I don't know if I could handle the loneliness…" Tweek blinked in surprise when he heard the thief scoot closer to him. He looked up at him to see him smiling slightly.

"Who said you have to be alone?" Tweek's cheeks grew a faint shade of pink as he gazed at the boy wide-eyed.

"Wh-what do-"

"Look, I know we didn't get off to a great start. You almost killed me, I almost killed you, and it's been kind of back and forth. But...look at us now. After all of that, we're here together... _talking_. Talking as if it never happened."

"What are you getting at?" Tweek asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I think...I think we can be friends. That is...if you want to. I feel like we'd make a great team." Craig said as he smiled at the other boy. Tweek couldn't help but mirror the thief's expression. Tweek wasn't so sure if it was the greatest idea to trust the boy, especially after everything that happened, but it's not like he had much to lose. And he had to admit...the boy was really starting to grow on him. Maybe more than he preferred. What would he tell his family, though? He was tired of living with the barbarians and constantly being undermined, but if they hated him so much, then maybe leaving was the best option. At least Craig seemed to have a lot of faith in him. The thought made his heart race and his cheeks warm.

"I...think I like that idea." He said softly.

"Shake on it?" Craig asked as he held out his hand to Tweek. The barbarian boy took it. Craig's hands were surprisingly soft. "From here on in, the dynamic duo of Feldspar the thief and Tweek the barbarian will be an unstoppable force the likes of which Zaron has ever seen!" Tweek and Craig both chuckled before releasing each other. Craig let out a sigh of relief and lied back, putting his hands behind his head in a relaxed position. "It feels good to know I won't be running from my life from you anymore." He said. "You're a really resilient fucker." Tweek chuckled.

"It's in my barbarian blood." Tweek's expression then dropped a bit as he began thinking about their situation. "So...what exactly do we do now? Are you going to keep stealing? And what about me? If I'm not out here chasing you down, then what am I to do?"

"Well...since there are now two of us, surviving will be much easier. Especially with those sick hunting skills of yours. I won't need to steal anymore. In fact, we may even be able to make a nice life out here." Craig suggested. Tweek looked out of the cave in thought, staring at the rain as it pelted down.

"Hm...I guess we could. But I hope you know that I have to tell my family that I won't be staying with them anymore."

"...I thought they didn't like you."

"True, but...I mean...they're my parents. I have to tell them." Tweek reasoned. Craig scoffed.

"After the awful way they treated you, you still want to answer to them? Dude, you're old enough to make your own decisions. You don't need mommy and daddy to give you their blessing." Tweek flinched at the venom in Craig's voice, leading him to realize that Craig had never once mentioned his own family.

"Whatever happened to your parents, Craig?" He asked. Craig stiffened slightly.

"...Don't change the subject."

"Craig..." Tweek said softly, giving him a pleading look. Craig stared at him in unamusement before looking away. He sighed.

"They're not dead, if that's what you're thinking." Tweek gave an internal sigh of relief. "But they kicked me out when I was younger because I was a compulsive kleptomaniac."

"Klepto...what?"

"Kleptomaniac. Someone with a disorder that compels them to steal things with no reason. It helped with being a thief, but not so much with family life..." Craig sighed. "I couldn't stop stealing things...it was just...it felt so right. So...they got tired of me causing trouble and kicked me out. I never even got to say goodbye to my little sister, Tricia..." He was silent for a moment as his expression grew downtrodden. He sighed again before continuing. "That's when Clyde took me in." Tweek blinked in surprise.

"Huh...and here I thought the Lord of Darkness was a heartless bastard." Tween commented. Craig finally cracked a smile and gave a soft chuckle.

"You'd think so with what people say about him and his title, but he's actually a real  _crybaby_." Craig snickered. "I woke up at 3am from the sound of him screaming that there was a spider in his room, and he was too scared to deal with it, so you know who had to?" Craig pointed to himself with an disappointed expression. " _This_  guy." Tweek couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"Hahaha,  _really_? Wow, that is...unexpected. Some Lord of Darkness." The barbarian boy joked. Craig chuckled and nodded.

"He may have been a pain, but he was the  _best_  damn friend a guy could ask for." Tweek noticed a longing gaze on Craig's face as he spoke.

"You miss him, don't you?" Craig looked over at Tweek with an eyebrow cocked.

"Huh?"

"You seem like you...I don't know...really miss him." Tweek replied. Craig looked up in thought and was silent for a good bit before finally speaking.

"Well...I do miss him, but I can't deny that I prefer this way of life. I just...I used to have a stupid little crush on him is all." Tweek blinked.

"A crush? On  _Clyde_? Does that mean..."

"Yes, I'm  _gay_." Craig said with a flamboyant wave of his hand. "At least, I  _think_  so. I've never really had an experience with a girl to tell me otherwise, so yeah. Pretty sure I'm gay."

"Oh..."

"Why, is that a problem?" Craig asked, starting to look a bit disappointed. Tweek quickly put his hands up and shook his head.

"O-oh, no, not at all! I...I actually like boys  _and_  girls, so...I'm kinda in the same boat as you."

"Huh, cool." Craig said with a smile. "So, have you ever kissed a girl or boy?" He asked suddenly out of curiosity. Tweek shook his head. "Yeah, neither have I. A life on the run doesn't really leave time for  _romance_  and all that crap. Though, I guess I'm not really on the run anymore, so..."

"So...?"

" _So_ , I guess I can start looking."

"O-oh! Yeah. Right..." Tweek said, quickly looking away.

"Is something wrong?" Craig asked in concern. Tweek hesitated before giving Craig a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, everything...everything's great." Tweek said, standing up. Craig gave him a skeptical look. "Well, when this rain lets up, I'm going to go hunt. We're gonna need food if we are going to stay here."

"Right..."


	7. On the Road Again

A week had gone by, and life was pretty good. The boys hunted together, played together, and talked every night about their lives, what they've been through, and what they hope to accomplish in the future. They got along quite well, and found they had a lot in common.

Craig's wounds had finally closed up for good, and all that was left was scarring that was still tender, but allowed Craig to move as he pleased to an extent. Tweek's head wound had healed up and, thankfully, didn't result in a concussion.

They'd spend every day living carefree, exempt from responsibility and expectation. Tweek came to learn that being away from his tribe was just what he needed. He'd never felt better. Especially when he got to spend his days with someone who was so accepting and kind to him. They did butt heads now and then, as people living together do, and they'd settle their scores with a bout of roughhousing. This was one of those moments.

"Agh! Get off me!"

"Not until you say sorry for taking  _and_  breaking my favorite spear!" Tweek growled as he triumphantly had Craig pinned to the ground.

"Dude, you have, like, a whole collection!" Craig exclaimed as he struggled beneath him. He hissed in pain under his breath as Tweek's leg pressed into the scar on his side as he straddled him.

"But you broke the best one! You weren't even supposed to be using it! You took the only one you're not allowed to touch!" Tweek and Craig furrowed their eyebrows as they stared each other down. If looks could kill, they'd both be dead. After what seemed like an eternity, they couldn't hold it in anymore and both suddenly broke into a small fit of laughter.

"Pfffthahaha, all this over a sharp fucking stick?"

"Hehehe, dude, I'm sorry, but you should know better than to go through my stuff."

"Yeah, yeah." Craig chuckled as he pushed Tweek off of him. "You're almost as big a crybaby as Clyde." He teased.

"Yeah, well at least I don't go around taking stuff that doesn't belong to me." Tweek spat playfully. Craig gave him an innocent look.

"Hey, you know I can't help myself." He said with a sheepish shrug. "I got issues."

"A  _lot_  of issues." Tweek giggled. Craig scoffed and threw a fistful of dirt at him. "Hey!"

"What's what you get, whiner."

"At least I win every fight..." Tweek said with a pout. Craig rolled his eyes and stood up.

"Whatever, you big baby. Why am I friends with you again?" He joked.

"You know you can't get enough of me." Tweek said with a smirk as Craig rolled his eyes and offered his hand to him, who took it and allowed himself to be helped up. Tweek was surprised, though, when Craig didn't let go of his hand as they started heading back to their home. Tweek didn't question it, he just stared at their hands before averting his eyes to not make it weird. He wondered if Craig even registered that their hands were still connected. He decided to just let it be as he was enjoying the closeness. He'd never been so close to anyone since no one in his tribe gave him the light of day. So, now that he actually had a functioning relationship with another person, he would take what he could get.

~o~O~o~

Later that day, Tweek was out hunting while Craig sat in the cave, weaving fish traps together. While he was doing so, he was deep in thought, barely keeping his mind on the task at hand. He was thinking about how much this one barbarian boy changed his life in so little time. After how his life had been up until that point, he realized that, even though he hid it well, he had been very unhappy. Sure, he struck out on his own of his own volition, but it was only after he was driven to that by his own people. Eventually, he got so good at hiding how unhappy he really was, that he even fooled himself. But, now, taking into consideration his life now compared to how it was, even though it had only been a week, he was... _actually_  happy. And it was all because a barbarian tried to kill him. Ah, good memories.

"Craig!" He suddenly heard his name. " _Craaaiiiig_!"

"What?!" He called back as he lifted his head. He saw Tweek run up to the cave entrance.

"Craig, you'll never believe what I found!" He said excitedly. Craig cocked an eyebrow.

"Food? You know...like you were  _supposed_  to be getting?"

"No, even  _better_!" Tweek replied as he suddenly grabbed something next to him and pulling it into view with some words of encouragement. Craig blinked in surprise as Tweek lead a familiar horse by the reigns into the cave. He smiled and stood, putting down his equipment and walking over to the mare, petting her snout.

"Well, if it isn't the horse you made me lose." Craig said as he gave Tweek a playfully unamused expression. Tweek looked at him sheepishly. "I can't believe you found her. Where  _was_  she?"

"She was just wandering around in the forest, grazing. I, uh...might have thought she was a deer and almost shot her...heh..." Tweek said as he patted the horse's neck.

"Dude,  _first of all_ , deer look  _nothing_  like horses. Second of all, she's  _white_. How many white deer have you seen?" Craig asked with a playful glare. Tweek shrugged slowly.

"Uh...heh... _albinoooo_...?" Tweek offered. Craig rolled his eyes before smiling.

"Well, I'm glad you found her. Something else to take care of, but she could be useful in carrying things and transportation."

"And as a  _pet_!" Tweek said excitedly. "I've always wanted a pet, but...I was never allowed." He said with a wide smile as he was absolutely transfixed on the horse and the prospect of having an animal companion.

"Yeah, that too."

"At least I'll be able to get to more decent hunting spots in less time. Do you think, tomorrow, we could take a road trip on her and just...have a relaxing day out?" Tweek asked hopefully. Craig thought for a moment.

"I mean...I don't see why not. Could be nice." Craig smiled as he stroked the horse's muzzle. "But, for now..." Craig pushed the reigns into Tweek's hands once more. "...you get us food like you were supposed to while I finish up these traps."

"Yes,  _mom_." Tweek said playfully as he effortlessly hopped onto the horse's back. Craig was impressed. He always had to use a stump or something to give him leverage onto the horse's back, and here this boy was, making it look like nothing. "So, how do I make her move?"

"Just flick the reigns like this." Craig made the motion with his hands. "And press your legs against her sides. Don't kick." Tweek did as he was told, and the horse started walking.

"Wow, cool!" Tweek smiled widely as if he just discovered the greatest thing in the world.

"Then just flick the reigns if you want her to go faster."

"Got it." Tweek said as he did so, and the horse was off. Craig let out a sigh as he watched him leave. He looked good on horseback. Almost natural. Craig blinked and shook his head. Right. Back to work.

~o~O~o~

The next day, Craig was setting up the horse for their trip. He had makeshift saddlebags on her that had snacks and canteens of water.

"You ready?" Craig asked as he turned towards Tweek, who was putting his boots on.

"Just about. I'm so excited! I haven't really traveled at all. The furthest I've ever been from home was when I was chasing  _your_  dumb ass." Tweek giggled. Craig scoffed.

"Well,  _asshole_ , traveling is fun. You get to see new places and experience new things." Craig suddenly tried to hop on as effortlessly as Tweek had the day before, but unfortunately couldn't clear her back and fell right onto his backside. "Damn." Tweek couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"Pffft, you really need to work on your core strength and flexibility,  _Feldspar, the mighty thief_."

"Shut up and help me out, will you?" Craig asked in an annoyed tone as he stood up.

"Gladly." Tweek replied as he helped Craig onto the horse, much to the other boy's embarrassment. He then hopped on behind him.

"Off we go." Craig said as he snapped the horse's reigns and they began moving.


	8. Captured

Tweek stared up at the bright blue sky. The weather was fantastic. Not to hot, not too cold, and not a cloud in the sky. It was perfect for an expedition. At the moment, they were following a mountain trail that peeked above the trees of the forest below. One could see for miles. He saw the Elf Kingdom, Kupa Keep, and...the barbarian territory. He exhaled deeply as he was reminded of everything he'd been through before meeting Craig.

"You alright?" Craig asked as he looked back, catching Tweek in his peripherals.

"Y-yeah, I'm just...thinking about stuff."

"What kinda stuff?"

"Oh, just...you know...my home." Tweek said softly. Craig turned his head more towards the boy.

"Tweek, you can't dwell on the past. That awful part of your life is over. This is your home, now. With me." Craig replied before looking ahead again. Tweek furrowed his brows slightly. The way Craig had said that sounded...weird...but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"...Yeah." Tweek finally said with a small smile. "You're right."

"Of course I am." Craig said, causing Tweek to roll his eyes with a chuckle.

~o~O~o~

After a while, they came to a beautiful waterfall, where they stopped to eat. Craig brought out Elven biscuits, deer meat, and their canteens.

"This is nice." Tweek commented. "Just...hanging out, having a picnic with no worries, responsibilities, or danger. I love this freedom." Craig smiled at him and nodded his head.

"Isn't it? That's why I stuck to this kind of life. However, I thought I'd never want to make friends again after the way people treated me, but...here we are. And I don't regret it one bit."

"You don't regret what?"

"...Meeting you. Making friends with you. Building...building a life with you." Craig said as he looked down at his biscuit with a blush. Tweek smirked at him and cocked an eyebrow.

"Wow, you make it sound like we're a couple." He joked in a playful tone. "Got something you wanna tell me,  _Craig_?" Craig stayed silent as he stared down. He seemed to be very uncomfortable all of a sudden. Tweek's smirk turned into a frown. "...Craig, I was just joking, I didn't mean anything by it." Craig finally let out a sigh and looked up at him.

"Actually, there  _is_  something I wanted to te-" Craig was interrupted mid-sentence as a blue bolt suddenly shot from the trees and hit him right in the middle of his back. He let out a sharp shriek of pain before falling to the ground, limp. Tweek immediately shot to his feet.

"C-craig!" Tweek gasped, about to go to him before freezing as a figure stepped out of the bushes, wielding a staff that was glowing a faint blue at the end of it. It was the High Jew Elf King. He had a look of deep regret on his face, but he continued what he was doing.

"I'm sorry..." He said softly, unable to meet the barbarian's eyes as several elves stalked out of the bushes and formed a circle around Tweek, pointing blades at him. Kyle walked over and grabbed Craig, slinging him over his shoulder and began walking away with him. "Grab the horse, too. Cartman will want her back."

"Should we take the barbarian?" One of them asked, poking his sword at Tweek's back. Kyle looked back and sighed.

"He's done nothing, so he doesn't deserve punishment. Let him go."

"What if he comes after us?" Another asked. Kyle walked back over to Tweek, who furrowed his eyebrows as he glared daggers at the Elf king. Kyle bit his lip, and he looked like he was doing something he really didn't want to do.

"Barbarian...I'll have you know...if you  _do_  come after us, we...we will have no choice but to kill you. And that is something I would feel great remorse in doing. So,  _please_...for your sake and ours...forget about the thief. He has stolen from the wrong people, and he is to be punished. I beg you not to follow." He said before turning and walking away. Hesitantly, the elves put down their swords and followed behind him, keeping a careful eye on Tweek. The barbarian boy clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

" _Fuckers_..." Tweek growled under his breath before running into the woods. He didn't know how he was going to do it, but he was going to get back the one good thing in his life. He was going to save Craig.

~o~O~o~

When Craig woke up, groggily sat up and rubbed his head. It was pounding.

"Uh, wha...Tweek...?" He said aimlessly. Finally opening his eyes all the way, he took in his surroundings. He was in a dungeon cell. He stiffened as everything came rushing back to memory. "Tweek!" Craig shot up from his bed and looked around frantically. He walked up to his cell bars and began shaking them. "Tweek, where are you?!" Craig's heart hurt as he thought of what they could've done to Tweek while he was out. "Fuck,  _fuck_ ,  ** _FUCK_**!" He hissed as he began frantically pacing in his cell. Where was Tweek?

" _Well, well, well_..." Craig's head snapped to the direction of a smug voice. He saw none other than Cartman walking over to his cell and smirking triumphantly. "It took a while, but I finally got you,  _Feldspar_. How does it feel to be beaten?" Craig scowled and walked over to the bars, grabbing hold of them and glaring at the wizard king.

" _Fuck you_." Craig growled. Cartman laughed.

" _Ha_! Hahaha! You think you're in a position where you can talk to me like that?" Cartman asked with a devious smirk. Craig spit in his face. Cartman glared at him before wiping it off with a handkerchief. "Well, I now see how eager you are to die. I was going to keep you in the dungeon for a while,  _probably_  torture you a bit, but now I'm thinking... _execution_." Cartman said with a smirk.

" _Hey_ , hold on a moment!" Kyle suddenly stormed into view. "That is not what we agreed on, _fatass_! Had I known you would sentence the poor bastard to death, I wouldn't have gone and done your dirty work! Revoke his sentence!"

"You shut your fucking Jew mouth, Kyle! You're too  _soft_! How you were ever made king, I'll never know. Grow a  _fucking_  spine. Besides, it's not like anybody cares about him. Not his family, not his faction, not even his little barbarian _fuckboy_. No one will miss him."

"You're wrong, you fat  _fuck_!" Craig suddenly shouted, gripping the bars tightly as he glared at Cartman. "Tweek  _does_  care about me!"

"Oh,  _really_?" Cartman smirked. "Then why didn't he come after you? If he really cares  _so_  much for you, he would have tried to stop Kyle, but he didn't,  _did he_?" He asked, turning his gaze to Kyle. The Elf king looked down with a sigh.

"No...no he didn't. I told him that, if he followed, we'd kill him. And...he didn't." As Kyle said this, the wizard king laughed.

"Haha! That's fucking  _awesome_!" He then smirked at Craig again. "You see? Your little boytoy won't even risk his life for you. You two are very close, indeed. He's probably glad that he won't have to deal with you anymore. A  _shame_ , really. You thought you finally found someone in this whole world who could  _actually_  like you...and it turns out he doesn't really care at all. How sad." Cartman laughed as he stepped away from the cell. Craig's hard expression faltered as his grip on the bars weakened.

"No...you're  _wrong_..."

"Am I? Is that why your hands are shaking? Tell me, is from fear of realizing that you're truly alone? Or is it anger from how the  _one_  person you trusted  _betrayed_  you?"

"Cartman, that's  _enough_." Kyle said sternly as he placed a hand on Cartman's shoulder.

"Fuck off, _Jew_ , I want to see this asshole suffer." Kyle sighed and shook his head before turning and walking away.

"Whatever, man..." He sighed as he exited the dungeon. Cartman gave an evil chuckle.

"I'll take _so_  much satisfaction in taking off your head." He said before turning and walking out, snickering the whole way. Craig felt a lump in his throat as he slid down onto his knees, still clutching the cell bars as he stared at the ground in front of him with wide eyes.

Had Tweek really left him for dead?


	9. Rescued

Craig lied in his bed, staring up at the stone ceiling. This was not how he expected his day to go. It started out with such promise. He was traveling, having a picnic, he was even about to tell Tweek something important, and then...

Craig sighed. Tweek...He didn't know what to think of Tweek anymore. He didn't really expect him to risk his life by following them and trying to stop them, but he was hoping to have at least heard from him by now. It's been hours. It was almost nightfall. He kept expecting Tweek to come up to the little window in the cell wall that lead to outside, but there was nothing. The boy closed his eyes.

All of his past insecurities came flooding back, forcing him to instinctively jump to conclusions. He felt paranoid. What if Tweek really wasn't coming back for him? What if he was just a lost cause to him? He'd let someone in, only to regret it once again. His trust in people just kept getting stomped out every time he put himself out there. And to think he was really going to tell him...

He was going to be executed tomorrow for mere thievery, and no one will miss him. He thought he'd be used to this feeling by now, but he supposed not. Not after Tweek. Craig sighed again and relaxed. Maybe some miracle will happen, and he'll be able to escape the guards as they let him out to bring him to his death, but with his mind reeling and his body worn from trying to find a way to escape the cell for nearly two hours, he just wanted to rest.

~o~O~o~

Craig blinked in confusion as he heard a loud sound happen somewhere in the building. He lethargically opened his eyes all the way and sat up with a groan. Looking up at the barred window, he saw that it was now pitch black outside. How long had he been asleep? He let out a sigh as there was still no sign of Tweek. Maybe he really had left him for dead. Go figure. Craig rubbed his face with his hands to try and rid himself of his sleepiness. There was another crash, and some yelling. Craig lifted his head before standing up and walking up to the cell bars. What the hell was going on out there?

"Craig!  _Hey_!" He heard a voice whisper-yell. He quickly turned around, and he suddenly felt his heart skip a beat.

"Tweek!" He replied as he ran up to the window, grabbing the bars. Tweek smiled, looking like he might cry, and put his hands over Craig's.

"Don't you worry, we're going to get you out of here!" Tweek whispered. Craig blinked.

"W- _we_?" Tweek just smiled at him before releasing his hands and suddenly darting away. "Tweek!" He called, but he was gone. After a bit, Craig jumped when he heard more crashing, yelling, and now screams. He raised his eyebrows. He was starting to get concerned. He walked back over to the cell door and looked out at the dungeon door. There was something serious going on on the other side of that door, and Craig's curiosity was eating at him. After what seemed like forever, the door suddenly slammed open, or more like was smashed open, and Tweek came gliding in. He ran up to Craig's cell. The thief looked at him in bewilderment.

" _How_ -" He began, but the barbarian boy shushed him.

"Not now, we can discuss later." He said, taking out a ring of keys. He began fiddling with each one, trying to find which one fit the lock. While he was distracted, Craig narrowed his eyes as he saw movement behind Tweek in the dimly lit dungeon.

"Tweek!" Craig warned as a blue bolt suddenly shot at Tweek, who luckily dodged in time. It hit the bars on Craig's cell before dissipating into thin air. Tweek whirled around to see none other than the Elf King.

"I can't let you go." Kyle said sternly, aiming his staff at Tweek.

"Why are you doing this?" Tweek growled. "You obviously don't want to!" Kyle bit his lip.

"I...If I do not do what Cartman says, he will start a war with my faction."

" _Dude_ , you're a _king_! So  _what_  if Cartman wants you to do something? You have _just_  as much power!" Craig argued. Kyle shook his head.

"We cannot take another war. I've already lost so many. And if saving many of my people means killing a lowly thief and a barbarian, then I shall do so." He said coldly before mercilessly firing another bolt. Tweek jumped out of the way just in time.

"Then I guess I have no choice!" Tweek snarled as he grabbed the knife from his belt and charged at Kyle. There was limited space in the small dungeon, so Kyle didn't really have much room to use his ranged attacks, but Tweek was good with close-up, hand to hand combat. The Elf king fired bolt after bolt at Tweek, who kept narrowly dodging. Tweek quickly slid up behind him and swiped at him, giving him a small cut in his side as he tried to dodge. Kyle began getting concerned as he knew his disadvantage. He began using his staff to physically attack and block Tweek instead of using his magic.

"You don't have to do this, Kyle!" Craig pleaded from his cell as he could only helplessly watch. "You don't have to listen to Cartman!" Kyle glanced at Craig in his peripherals as he kept blocking and dodging Tweek's attacks. "Just let us go!" Kyle remained quiet, but seemed to be at war with himself, his eyes sad and, yet, determined. As Tweek kept coming at him with attack after attack, Kyle was clearly getting tired, and he needed to end this quickly. With a last burst of energy, he held up his staff.

" _Enough_!" Kyle commanded as a white light suddenly flashed from his staff, sending both Tweek and Craig flying back into the walls. Craig groaned as he slowly regained his equilibrium and stood up with help from his bed, using it to prop himself. He saw Kyle in a defensive stance with his staff as he stared at Tweek with a desperate look. "You can't  _begin_  to understand the position I'm in! My people count on me to keep them safe! I _cannot_  let them down!" Tweek tried standing up with help from the wall behind him. Kyle shot another blue bolt at him, and since he was still dazed, it hit him directly, causing him to fall to the floor again with an agonized yelp.

"Tweek!" Craig cried. He then cast a glare at Kyle. "Elf king, you have to stop this! You're going to kill him!"

"I...I  _have_  to..."

" _No_ , you  _don't_! For once, I agree with Cartman! You have to grow a fucking  _spine_ , man! Stand up to the bastard! You're a king, too! Don't let him control you!"

"But...my people..." Kyle said, looking down. Tweek suddenly chimed in weakly as he managed to sit up.

"At least...if you go to war...your people will die fighting for a...a just cause in taking the fatass down..." Tweek wheezed between breaths. "But, right now...your people are dying because you're too... _scared_  to stand up to Cartman...If it were  _my_  people...I'd want my people to remember me for being a brave leader who lead them into battle courageously...Not one who allowed them to die because he was too scared...to stand up to some  _fat fuck_...If you let us go...no one else's life will be threatened..." Kyle's hands were shaking. He looked between Tweek and Craig, then at the door, where screams and crashes still rang. The Elf king flinched at the sounds as he realized in trying to save his people, he was doing the opposite by putting them in danger for something so minuscule. It hadn't even been his kingdom that had been stolen from that lead to all this! It was Cartman. All Cartman.

"Damn it!" Kyle snarled as he glared at Tweek and Craig. "Do  _not_  fuck me over!" He said as he grabbed the keys off the ground and found the correct one, using it to pop Craig's lock open. The cell door swung open, and Craig ran out, heading over to Tweek, who seemed to have a hard time breathing.

"Tweek, are you alright?"

"Step aside." Kyle said. Craig did so, and Kyle pointed the end of his staff at Tweek before moving it in a strange pattern over his head. It flickered purple, and a mist of the same color swirled down and engulfed the barbarian. After a few moments, it dissipated, and Tweek took in a large gasp of air. He put a hand to his neck as if to make sure his windpipes were really working. Slowly, Tweek stood up with Craig's help before turning his head to look at Kyle.

"Thank you..." He said softly. Kyle sighed before nodding his head in acknowledgement. "Come on, Craig, we have to hurry."


	10. Resolve

Letting Tweek lean on him, Craig led him through the dungeon door and into the throne room. Craig stopped in his tracks as he looked on in pure shock, seeing an all-out battle happening before him. Humans and elves fighting against a group with purple and grey armor that looked familiar to Craig. He didn't dwell on it, however, as he needed to get out of there. He lead Tweek towards the front entrance of the castle.

"Stop right there!" He heard a voice scream at him. He saw the wizard king standing at the door, barring his escape. "You're  _not_  getting away!" Craig furrowed his brows in anger.

"Cartman, is all this  _really_  necessary?!" Craig growled. "I only took some gold and a horse! Is something so small really worth losing your people, losing allies, and threatening war on another king?! This is getting ridiculous!"

"I'll do what I want because I'm the fucking  _WIZARD KING_! And no one fucking  _steals_  from me! I don't care how many people it takes for me to put you in your place!" Craig noticed that a few of the humans stopped fighting as they glared at Cartman. The wizard king was digging himself a deep hole. Some of them threw down their swords. Others straight up left. The last handful of humans and all the elves still fought, however.  _Man_ , these fuckers were loyal. Or afraid of what the wizard king will do to them if they don't do as they're told. Cartman raised his staff and shot a bright green beam from it, aimed right at the two boys. Craig couldn't move out of the way quick enough while supporting Tweek, but he didn't have to as a blue beam met Cartman's halfway, cutting it off. Looking to the side, Craig saw Kyle standing there with his staff raised to the air as well, a look of determination on his face.

"That's  _enough_ , Cartman! I will  _not_  let your tyranny control me or my people any longer!"

"You fucking  _Jew_! You're  _helping_  these assholes?! Did you forget about our agreement?! I'll start a fucking war with you, Kyle, I  _swear_  to  _god_!"

"I have not forgotten!  _Go ahead_! Bring war to us! With your dwindling support after tonight, I'm sure you'll have quite the army, indeed! You will be no match for our numbers!"

"That's enough out of  _you_!" Cartman sputtered as he tried to blast Kyle with another beam, only to be met by one of his. Locked in a stalemate, Kyle looked at Craig.

"Get out of here while he's distracted. I'll take care of fatass." Craig mouthed a 'thank you' as he backed out of there and snuck around the side to go around Cartman, who didn't even seem to remember who he was after as he was too into his magic battle with Kyle. Finally making it out to the courtyard, he heard a familiar voice call out.

"Fall back! He's out!" Craig looked around, but couldn't tell where the owner of the voice was.

"Come on, _hurry_." Tweek urged, now starting to be able to walk for himself a bit, though Craig still offered his support on his side. The two quickly made it out of the courtyard, followed by several of the people wearing the grey and purple armor.

~o~O~o~

In a clearing about a kilometer from Kupa Keep, the two boys finally rested, sitting down as they leaned against a tree. They were panting and exhausted.

"That was close..." Tweek commented. "I seriously thought I was going to die...When Kyle shot me with that bolt, I felt like my life was just getting _sucked_  right out of me..." He said, looking almost traumatized. Craig smiled and put a hand on his shoulder.

"But we made it." Tweek smiled at him and nodded.

"Yeah...we did." The barbarian boy agreed. Craig leaned back against the tree and exhaled deeply.

"By the way...who  _were_  those soldiers? They looked familiar."

"I thought you would recognize them. You really don't remember?"

"Has it really been that long, _Craig_?" A voice came from the underbrush. It was the same voice that had called the soldiers off. A figure stepped into the clearing slowly. Craig's eyes widened as his breath caught in his throat. He felt his heart race as he quickly stood up, unable to believe his eyes. Tweek stood up next to him with a knowing smile.

"C-clyde...?" He felt so many emotions as the boy in front of him smiled and opened his arms. " _Clyde_!" Craig rushed forward and gave the Lord of Darkness the tightest hug he could muster.

"I missed you, old friend..." Clyde said softly as he hugged Craig back.

"It feels like it's been an eternity..." Craig said as he stepped back, looking Clyde up and down. "And  _look_  at  _you_. You've _grown_! I won't be the tall one anymore if you keep this up." He chuckled. Clyde smirked and chuckled as well.

"Yes, and then you won't be able to make fun of me anymore."

"Clyde, there are  _several_  other things I could make fun of you for." He then changed his voice to do a mocking imitation of Clyde's. "Ah, a spider! Someone please kill it! I'm the Lord of Darkness, and I can't kill my own spiders! They're too  _scary_!" Craig said before laughing. Clyde smiled and punched Craig's shoulder.

" _Hey_ , I've gotten better! I scream a lot less." The both of them laughed. Tweek watched the two before him. It made his heart jump to see Craig looking so happy. The boy doesn't smile that often, especially that widely, so it was nice to see him like this.

"Oh, _by the way_ , did you have to send a  _whole army_  just to come rescue me? Seems like overkill, don't you think?"

"My friend, for you, I'd send out every resource I  _have_. For all the years you've been there for me, it's the least I could do. I needed to ensure your escape. Even if it meant going overboard."

"How did you even know I needed help?" Craig asked. Clyde smiled and turned his gaze to Tweek.

"This _remarkable_  barbarian came to my kingdom completely unarmed, which is a gamble in itself because my people tend to be a bit... _overzealous_  with the whole  _darkness_  thing. He walks right up to my guards and  _demands_  audience with me. So, they grab him and throw him down in front of me, and he starts begging for help. At first, of course, I say no because I have no association with the barbarians. But, then he tells me that he isn't with them anymore, and that he is, instead, living with  _you_! And once he mentioned your name and said you were in dire need of assistance, I threw down what I was doing and asked when and where." Craig's eyes grew wide as he turned his attention to Tweek.

"This was all  _you_? You risked your life by going there and brought him here...just for  _me_?" Tweek smiled sheepishly at him.

"Yeah...Not only did I want help saving you since I knew I probably couldn't do it on my own, but I figured it would be good for you two to reunite after so long." Tweek looked at Clyde. "He talks a lot about you." Clyde smirked and raised an eyebrow at Craig.

"All good things, I hope."

" _Mostly_." Craig chuckled. He then tensed as the good vibe faded when they heard the thundering of hooves in the distance, and it was approaching fast. The three tensed as they prepared for what could be soldiers that had followed them. A horse suddenly came flying into the clearing and reared up when it saw the three boys. It was none other than Kyle riding on the back of the horse Craig had previously stolen. Once he calmed the horse down, he looked like he was about to speak, but when he saw Clyde, he pointed his staff at him. Clyde quickly put his hands up.

"Whoa, whoa! No need for that!"

"It was  _you_!  _You_  did this!" Kyle hissed. Clyde took a step back.

" _Listen_ , Elf king. I  _only_  did it to save Craig. If your people got in the way, my  _deepest_  apologies, but I was attacking the human kingdom to get back at the wizard king for taking my best friend. It was not an attack on you." Kyle narrowed his eyes, but lowered his staff. "I never attack without reason."

" _Right_..." Kyle began as he hopped off the horse. He then turned his attention to Tweek and Craig. "Are you two...holding up...?" Tweek smiled and nodded.

"Thank you so much for doing what you did. We owe you our debt."

"You certainly  _do_." Kyle glared downward. "Because of my actions in helping you, my faction is now threatened by a war it is not prepared for." Kyle straightened when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Elf king, though you may find my actions questionable and blame me for what happened, which you are rightful to do so, I wish to offer my services as consolation."

"Excuse me?" Kyle questioned as he raised an eyebrow at Clyde.

"I don't usually ally my faction with others, but times, I feel, are going to get desperate. I know you just lost some people because of me, but if you do go to war with the humans, know that,  _if you agree_ , my faction will join you in the fight against the wizard king. I hate him just as much as you do. Hopefully, that would ensure atonement for my actions and provide you with the numbers you need to take him down." Clyde offered. Kyle stared at him silently for a while, pondering the offer. Finally, he sighed, and a small smile of confidence appeared on his face.

"He won't stand a chance." He said as he offered the Lord of Darkness his hand. Clyde took it and they shook on it. Kyle then looked at the other two. "Tweek and Craig, I hope you can...forgive me for my actions, as I hope you can understand the position I was in, and that I was doing what...felt right at the time. I now see that the two of you have a bond that even the Grand Wizard Fatfuck cannot break." Kyle said with a small smirk. He then grabbed the horse's reigns. "And, here." He handed them to Craig. "I felt that...not only do you deserve this after what Cartman put you through and both of your friends' dedication to you, but I figured you keeping his horse will spite the hell out of him and just piss him off even more." Craig chuckled and patted the horse's snout.

"Thank you, Elf king. We appreciate _everything_  you've done for us. And...should you ever need us...we will be there to aid or fight with you. Consider us allies." Kyle smiled and nodded.

"And should you need the help of the elves, we'll be there." He said before turning and walking back towards the treeline. "Farewell, newfound allies." He said before disappearing into the underbrush. Tweek leaned towards Craig before whispering.

" _Is he walking the whole way back_...?" Craig simply shrugged.

"He's magic, he can do what he wants." He said as he handed the reigns to Tweek. He then turned his attention to Clyde.

"It's been... _nice_...seeing you again after so long." Craig said softly. "I'll miss you once you return to your faction."

"Does it really have to be goodbye? You know...I have room in my castle for two more." Clyde offered hopefully. Craig sighed and shook his head. He looked like he was fighting tears.

"Oh, Clyde...I'd just be going back to the same situation that caused me to leave. I can't...deal with that again."

"I-I'll fix it!" Clyde suddenly said as he looked at Craig in desperation. "I'll make a law stating that it's punishable to even look at you funny! Whatever you want!" Craig gave him a sad smile and brought him into a tight embrace. Clyde sniffled and hugged him back even tighter. " _Please_..." Craig fought back his tears as best he could.

"You always were a crybaby..." He said softly as Clyde let the waterworks flow. He didn't even attempt to stop or hide it.

"I-I can't help it...It gets lonely without my best friend. No one else can replace you..." Craig gave a soft chuckle.

"It's not like I'm  _dying_ , Clyde. We can always visit." Craig said as he released him, who reluctantly did the same. Clyde wiped his eyes.

"Y-you'd  _better_..." Clyde sniffled.

"I will, if it's okay that I bring Tweek, too."

"Of course." Clyde responded with a sad but hopeful smile. "Take...take care of yourself, Craig."

"You too, my friend. Until next time."

"And  _you_!" Clyde suddenly said, pointing at Tweek as he began walking away. "Don't you let a  _single thing_  happen to him, you hear me?!" Tweek smiled, stepping forward and grabbing Craig's hand, much to the other boy's surprise.

"I promise. He's in good hands." He replied with a smile. Clyde smiled at the two of them before turning around completely and walking into the trees. Tweek and Craig looked at each other and smiled, their hands still connected. Everything was going to be different, now. Everything was going to be better.


	11. Rejoice

In the following months that transpired after everything that had happened, the human and elf factions  _had_  gone to war and, as promised, Clyde and his people helped push back the humans, who ultimately lost. Cartman was banished from space and time by Clyde in an ironic turn of events, and a new ruler of Kupa Keep took the throne: Princess Kenny. She ruled in peace instead of hate and bigotry. She was fair to her subjects and made a treaty with the elf kingdom.

Craig, with some prompting from Tweek, returned to his childhood home and apologized to his parents, who forgave him. They had missed their only son. Craig got to see his little sister, Tricia, again. She hugged him and begged him not to go again, but he broke the news to them that this was only a temporary visit. However, he promised that he would visit often from now on. Tweek, though it was tempting, never returned to the barbarians for closure. He knew they didn't want their defective barbarian son. And he was okay with that. He had Craig, who cared about him, no matter what. Unconditionally. Tweek was grateful that he had met Craig, and he knew he didn't need anyone else.

Because of the new alliance between the two boys and the elf kingdom, Craig was allowed to have the elven biscuits and pastries that he so loved whenever he requested, and the thief would take entire sacks at a time. That poor baker. He'd live off of them if he could. Everyone was living the good life now that Cartman was out of the picture. Everything was peaceful and prosperous.

"Hey, that's mine!" Craig whined. He and Tweek were out on another journey, and were currently pausing to have a small picnic. Tweek had tried to take one of Craig's biscuits, causing the boy to snap at him.

"Dude, you have, like, a hundred! I just want one!"

"You're not the one who has a deal with the Elf King."

"I'm pretty sure he said we could both have at them."

"But...but they're my favorite." Craig reasoned. Tweek rolled his eyes and he handed the biscuit back to Craig.

"Whatever. I'll tell Clyde he has competition for 'World's Biggest Crybaby'." Tweek teased. Craig snatched it and turned away to keep them from him. There was nothing more sacred to Craig than a fresh elven biscuit. As Craig stuffed his face while the other boy ate some leftover venison, Tweek noticed that Craig had crumbs on his face. It made him look dumb, and Tweek found that adorable. The boy giggled, and when Craig looked over at him questioningly, Tweek pointed at his mouth, then at Craig's. Craig tried to wipe his mouth of the mess, but he couldn't quite get it. This only made Tweek laugh. "Dude, you look ridiculous." Craig blushed in anger and embarrassment.

"Well, where  _is_  it, then?" He asked in an annoyed tone. While giggling, Tweek leaned over.

"Here." He said, leaning close to Craig and bringing a hand up to his face, using his thumb to wipe it off. Craig froze and felt his heart skip a beat as he noticed how close Tweek was. His eyes were even more brilliant this close up. Maybe there were better things in this world than fresh elven biscuits.

~o~O~o~

After several more hours of travel, the sun began sinking below the horizon, and the sky grew darker. Finding a hill with a tall tree that had outstretched branches, they decided it would be the perfect place to rest for the night, with cover if it so happened to rain. Craig hopped off the horse and rifled through the saddlebags. He pulled out some biscuits, his water, and a blanket. Craig settled himself underneath the tree and wrapped the blanket around him. He munched on a biscuit as he waited for Tweek.

" _Damn_..." He heard the barbarian boy mutter. Craig looked at him and cocked an eyebrow.

"What is it  _now_?" He asked. Tweek huffed and set the saddlebag down.

"I forgot my damn covers." He said in a disappointed tone. He walked over and plopped down next to Craig with a grumpy expression. Craig cocked an eyebrow and offered his blanket to Tweek.

"You want mine?" He asked. The barbarian sighed and shook his head.

"No, I don't want you to catch a cold."

"Dude...you are  _literally_  shirtless. If anyone is going to catch a cold, it's  _you_."

"Craig, don't be difficult."

" _You're_  the one being difficult."

"Craig, really, keep it. I'm _fine_." He heard Craig sigh after that, and he thought he'd won the argument before suddenly feeling a blanket drape over his legs. He turned around. "Craig, I _told_  you, I-" He stopped when he realized that Craig hadn't given him the blanket, but was sharing it. He felt the boy scoot closer to him so they both could fit under it. Tweek's cheeks grew warm.

"There,  _happy_?" Craig asked nonchalantly. "Now,  _no one_  gets cold." Tweek bit his lip to curb his emotions before smiling at the boy in gratitude.

"Y-yeah...thanks." He replied. After the initial awkwardness, they grew more comfortable as the cold settled in and dusk turned to night. The two sat there for a while, doing what they did every night. They sat quietly, staring at the stars. They were brilliant when you sit out in the open, especially on a hill with hardly any trees around. Every once in a while, one would point out patterns, drawing lines in between each star, inventing new constellations and giving them stories. It was one of their favorite pastimes and bonding activities, since there was actually very little that both liked doing. It was a common ground.

But tonight was different. Craig was looking at brightness shrouded by a deep blue, but it wasn't the stars. It was something much better.

"You're staring." Tweek suddenly said with a soft giggle as he flicked his gaze to Craig. The boy blinked and quickly looked away.

"I-I, um...your..." He wanted to tell Tweek that his eyes reflected in the starlight were unmatched by what was above. Geez, when did he become such a fucking sap?

"My... _what_?" Tweek prompted, almost in a knowing tone. Craig didn't dare meet his eyes, or else he'll just lose track of his thoughts again.

"Your, uh..."  _Come on, think!_ He then noticed Tweek's cheeks were getting very pink. "Your cheeks are looking a bit red. Are you getting sick?" He asked, genuine concern suddenly washing over him. Tweek then seemed to be the nervous one, now.

"U-uh, yeah, perfectly fine!" He replied. Craig put a hand to Tweek's forehead, then slid it down to his cheek.

"You're burning up, dude."

"It's nothing...really." Tweek said, meeting Craig's eyes. He then took notice of only the few inches separating them.

"Are you sure...?" With Craig's hand on his cheek, his heart beating way faster than should be healthy, and how close they were, Tweek couldn't take it anymore.

"I...N-no." Tweek muttered. "Everything _isn't_  alright. It hasn't been for...a long time." Craig's eyebrows furrowed in worry. "And I can't stand this...this _torture_  you put me through  _every day_." Craig felt a lump in his throat.

"Am I...really that bad to be around?" He suddenly felt all of his insecurities resurface as the thought of annoying Tweek to the point of him calling the time he spent with him 'torture,' and it made him feel sick. "I...didn't realize..."

"You really  _are_  an  _idiot_..." Tweek sighed as Craig looked at him in confusion. Tweek didn't let him dwell on what he said any longer as he suddenly moved forward, closing any space between them as he felt their lips touch. Craig stiffened in shock at the sudden contact, and couldn't even process what was happening before it was over.

Tweek pulled away slowly, his gaze half-lidded as if dazed by the brief experience. Craig put a hand to his lips as he stared wide-eyed at Tweek, who, having gotten what he wanted to out of his system, looked at Craig, his eyes snapping open wide in sudden alarm as he realized what he had just done. "Oh, I-I...I'm sorry! I shouldn't have...You weren't...I should've asked...I was just so frustrated...for so long...But you didn't deserve...It was non-consensual...I'm  _so_  sorry..." He blurted out. "It was just too tempting...And you're just...too irresistible...I couldn't help myself..." Craig stayed silent as he still tried to wrap his head around what just happened. He was recounting every moment the two had before now, and he didn't know how he didn't see it before. "W-well? Say something, Craig! Yell at me, hate me, do something! React! Don't just sit there! You're just making me freak out m-"

He was silenced when he felt Craig's lips meet his once more, this time for much longer. Tweek felt weak as he grabbed Craig's shoulders for support, closing his eyes as he did so. Craig put a hand back to the boy's cheek, and Tweek felt all his worries instantly melt away. Sooner than he'd liked, Craig pulled away and let out a deep exhale as if a weight he'd been carrying for ages had been lifted from him. Tweek bit his lip as he felt his heart flutter uncontrollably.

"Craig...?" He questioned. Craig gave him a small smile as his green eyes shone in the starlight.

"I'm sorry for never taking notice...but I hope you know that I've felt the same for quite some time as well." He admitted. Tweek smiled brightly at him.

"R-really? I...wow..." He paused as he thought. "So...what does this mean for us...?" He asked. Craig smirked as he pulled Tweek against him.

"I'm not completely sure, but I hope it has a lot more of this..." He said softly as he kissed the boy once more.


End file.
